Only select entrances will be open for patients and visitors at each Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) hospital starting the afternoon of Sunday, March 15. Each patient and visitor will be screened for COVID-19 as they enter. You can see a complete list of open entrances, updated visitation limitations and other helpful information at www.nghs.com/covid-19.
“These simple screening questions will help us protect all of our patients, visitors and employees as we try to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Supriya Mannepalli, MD, chair of the Infection Prevention & Control Committee for NGMC. “If a visitor is suspected for COVID-19, we will provide them with next steps to follow for testing.”
Physicians and hospital leadership are reviewing scheduled, elective surgeries. Hospital staff will contact patients if a surgery is canceled. If you have concerns about your scheduled surgery, please contact your physician’s office.
Cafeterias at all NGMC hospitals will continue to serve food, but all dining areas are closed until further notice. That means patients, visitors and employees may purchase food to take back to waiting areas, patient rooms, break rooms, etc.
“These decisions are being made with safety in mind,” says Carol Burrell, president & CEO of NGHS. “Our top priority is always the safety of our patients, visitors, employees, physicians and others who rely on and support NGHS.”
Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) was notified today of two confirmed positive tests for COVID-19. Both patients are currently being treated at NGMC Braselton.
“Our physicians, nurses and other staff are following all guidelines from the CDC to provide the best possible care,” says Anthony Williamson, president of NGMC Braselton. “That includes keeping the patients in negative pressure rooms, wearing personal protective equipment and following all recommended cleaning procedures to help keep patients and all others in the hospital safe. People in our community should continue coming to NGMC Braselton for care as they need it.”
If you have a fever and cough or difficulty breathing, these steps will help you find the care you need and limit the spread of COVID-19 in our region:
Call before you come
Call 9-1-1 for emergencies
Consider staying home and completing an E-Visit
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ABOUT NORTHEAST GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM
Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is a non-profit on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. Our team cares for more than 1 million people across the region through four hospitals and a variety of outpatient locations. Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has campuses in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder and Dahlonega – with a total of more than 700 beds and more than 1,100 medical staff members representing more than 50 specialties. Learn more at www.nghs.com.
Southeast Georgia Health System Hosts Breastfeeding Conference For Health Care Professionals and Community 1:55 pm
Breastfeeding has been proven to be the best source of nutrition for babies to grow and stay healthy. It also benefits mothers by lowering their risk of breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.
Committed to being a resource to mothers who choose to breastfeed, as well as helping health care professionals and the community understand the importance of breastfeeding, Southeast Georgia Health System will host a Breastfeeding Conference on Friday, April 24, 2020, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., in the Linda S. Pinson Conference Center on the Brunswick Campus, 2415 Parkwood Drive. The conference is open to health care professionals; birth, parenting and lactation specialists; and interested community members. Continuing education credits are available to those who qualify.
Misunderstanding a baby’s normal behavior is one reason that mothers add formula, begin solids prematurely, or give up breastfeeding altogether. Guest speaker Jan Tedder, BSN, FNP, IBCLC, will present developmental changes that are often misinterpreted as breastfeeding problems and offer resources to help families manage these changes. She will also discuss hospital discharge readiness, the critical impact of “responsive parenting,” innovative strategies for effective parent teaching, and share intriguing case studies, inspiring video clips, and interactive exercises.
Tedder has worked with families for decades. A published author, Tedder was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, a national nursing honor society, and honored as the North Carolina Maternal Child Health Nurse of the Year. She created the award-winning HUG Your Baby program, which has been shared with 12,000 professionals and thousands of parents in 20 countries around the world. In addition to teaching birth, parenting and lactation specialists, Jan provides home-based lactation services in Durham, North Carolina.
The registration fee for the all-day breastfeeding conference is $90 (plus a convenience fee for online registration); an early bird 10% discount is offered to those registering by March 24, 2020 ($81). The registration fee includes conference materials, refreshments, lunch and continuing education credits. Southeast Georgia Health System team members may attend at no charge.
About Southeast Georgia Health System
Southeast Georgia Health System is a not-for-profit health system comprised of two acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities, three immediate care centers, multiple outpatient specialty care centers, and numerous employed physician practices. The Health System has the only CyberKnife® M6 with MLC technology in Georgia, and a Cancer Care Center accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. The Health System is part of Coastal Community Health, a regional affiliation between Baptist Health and Southeast Georgia Health System forming a highly integrated hospital network focused on significant initiatives designed to enhance the quality and value of care provided to our contiguous communities. For more information, call 855-ASK-SGHS (855-275-7447) or visit sghs.org.
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Free Childbirth Class Offered Saturday, March 7 at Wayne Memorial Hospital 1:34 pmA free class on childbirth is offered at Wayne Memorial Hospital Saturday, March 7th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hospital cafeteria conference room. This class is ideal for those expectant mothers 25 weeks pregnant or later by the class date. Those interested in registering may do so by calling (912) 530-3118 or (912) 530-3117.
Topics of the class will include the normal process of pregnancy, labor and delivery with an emphasis on conscious prepared childbirth. Stress is placed on a medically safe delivery in the hospital under the direction of a physician. Additional topics covered are infant care and infant feeding. Attendees are encouraged to invite a support person to the class.
Wayne Memorial Hospital, whose mission is to provide high quality health care services to all patients, built a state-of-the-art facility in 2007. It is the third largest employer in Wayne County with 500 employees, 84 beds and is a three-time winner of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Small Hospital of the Year Award.
Anna Shaw Children’s Institute helping children, families 9:02 pm
Hamilton Health Care System’s Anna Shaw Children’s Institute (ASCI) has helped more than 400 children with developmental delays and their families since opening last April. There have been approximately 3,800 patient visits.
“We have had an amazing beginning,” said Terri Woodruff, executive director.
Most of the patients are Georgia residents, however some patients have come from Tennessee and Florida.
Dedicated to the memory of longtime Whitfield County resident Anna Sue Shaw, the Institute is a regional leader of and advocate for the care of children who are experiencing the challenges of autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, ADHD/ADD, down syndrome, spina bifida, Apert syndrome, cri du chat syndrome, Lennox Gastaut syndrome, hydrocephalus, spinal cord injury, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy or developmental delays.
“There is a high volume of children with complex conditions in our area who need services,” said Woodruff. “We are getting to know the needs of the children and families in our community and beyond, and we’re so excited to be able to partner with parents and caregivers to provide state-of-the-art, evidence-based care for their children.”
Providers who specialize in the care of children include: a psychologist, developmental behavioral pediatricians, neurodevelopmental pediatrician, social worker, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, behavior analysts, music therapist, occupational therapists, care navigator and others.
“Our team is phenomenal,” said Woodruff. “Everyone has a passion for children. The coordination of all care services under one roof has benefited the providers, the children and the families. Collaboration among all caregivers has streamlined services and been such a convenience for families.”
ASCI has initiated free programs since opening, including Arts in the Treetops (music events designed to introduce people to music therapy), Classes to Help, Advise & Motivate Parents (CHAMP, educational classes on the first Tuesday of the month), parent support group (second Tuesday of the month) and Reading around the Tree (story time for children).
With design elements inspired by the style of a tree house, the Anna Shaw Children’s Institute was designed to be considerate of children’s differing abilities to tolerate light, sound and texture. The Institute provides a unique environment with the overall goal to blend calming color and fun play for children of all abilities.
The room designs include forest animals, birds or butterflies. Each of the rooms has dimmable lights. Some unique areas for care include the Swan Room, an aquatic therapy room for children with a swim tank. The Oriole room is used for occupational therapy. Feeding therapy can take place in the Finch or Falcon rooms in a booth that mimics dining out. Children can participate in speech therapy in the Sparrow or the Seagull rooms. To emphasize the woodland theme, local artists have painted or designed an artistic piece for each room, featuring the animal assigned to the specific room.
Children can receive physical or occupational therapy in the Tree House Gym, a large 2,900-square-foot gym with colorful patterns on the floor, an adaptive climbing wall, an indoor slide and a fun track in the middle of the room. During pleasant weather, therapy can be enjoyed outside in the Treehouse Terrace, an outdoor therapy area with a roller slide, a spinning chair, adaptive pull up bars, a sensory wave and a fun set of tympani drums.
A unique gift shop, Treetop Treasures, features sensory friendly toys, weighted blankets, puzzles, books and other items specifically for children receiving care at the Institute.
The Children’s Institute plans to expand support as it grows.
“We want to provide a focus on what children can do rather than their limitations,” said Woodruff. “We plan to create a literacy rich environment by giving children books and promoting reading to children, support families so they can meet their child’s needs, advocate for families with insurance companies, medical equipment companies and community resources, and continue to provide free classes for families to advance their understanding of caring for their child.”
A large number of families are impacted by developmental delays in this area. Currently Whitfield, Murray, Gordon and Catoosa counties, there are 27,500 plus children who are diagnosed with a developmental disability. According to the CDC, one in 59 children in the United States are impacted by autism.
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St. Mary’s partners with statewide collaborative to maximize maternal safety 7:20 pmSt. Mary’s Family Birth Center is part of a statewide collaborative that is working to improve Georgia’s maternal death rate, currently ranked as one of the worst in the United States.
“The safety of mothers is vitally important to us,” said Jackie Iley, director of St. Mary’s Family Birth Center. “Our birth center is an extremely safe place to have your baby, but as good as we are, we know we can always improve. We want to do everything possible to remain in the forefront for maternal and baby safety. Every mother who delivers here deserves the best evidence-based care available.”
According to the World Health Organization, almost 850 women worldwide die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Some 99 percent of those deaths happen in developing nations, but the U.S. is not the safest place in the world to have a baby and is the only industrialized nation with a rising maternal mortality rate.
Georgia’s 2019 maternal mortality rate ranked No. 43 in the nation with 7.4 deaths per 1,000 births, according to America’s Health Rankings (www.americashealthrankings.org). By comparison, the highest-ranked state, Massachusetts, reported 3.8 maternal deaths per 1,000 births. The lowest-ranked state, Mississippi, reported 8.6 maternal deaths per 1,000 births, and the U.S. average was 5.8.
“Georgia is making progress, and we are proud to be part of the solution,” said Tabby Bonner, St. Mary’s perinatal clinical educator. “That’s why we’re taking action to stay in the forefront of safety and working to help our state improve those statistics.”
Since 2017, St. Mary’s Family Birth Center has partnered with the Georgia Perinatal Quality Collaborative (GaPQC). The collaborative focuses on developing evidence-based practices to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies across the state.
“The collaborative is part of a national, data-driven quality improvement joint effort with the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health,” Bonner said. “Together, they provide free maternal patient safety bundles for hospitals to use to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.”
Education in progress
St. Mary’s Family Birth Center already has completed two educational bundles and is working on a third. The first bundle focused on obstetrical hemorrhage – excessive bleeding after birth, which is the leading cause of maternal death in Georgia. The second bundle focused on acute hypertensive emergencies, which is when the mother’s blood pressure becomes dangerously high, a symptom of conditions that can lead to seizures, strokes or other life-threatening emergencies. The bundle now in progress teaches ways to reduce primary cesarean sections.
“These bundles focus heavily on unit readiness, recognition of the problem, prevention, and rapid and proper response,” Bonner said. “They are incredibly well researched and very thorough. Plus, they feature a hands-on style of learning, including staff drills, that is practical and effective.
“In addition to intensive staff training, we also use two OB hemorrhage carts paid for by donations to St. Mary’s Foundation,” Bonner noted. “The carts are fully stocked and ready at all times if a mom is having a serious problem with bleeding.”
Completing drills gives nurses and medical staff an opportunity to learn best practices, fine-tune skills and enhance communication in a low-pressure environment, Bonner said. “This way, when a true emergency arises, our staff and physicians know how to respond to changing situations and are confident in their plan to safely take care of patients.”
Hands-on learning
Recently, for example, Family Birth Center nurses drilled with Athens obstetrician and gynecologist Kaushik Shah, MD, on shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia is when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck against the mother’s pubic bone, preventing the baby from moving through the birth canal.
Using St. Mary’s sophisticated Noelle birthing mannequin, the team ran the drill once to review techniques and procedures. They then reviewed their performance and ran the drill a second time.
“It’s very helpful to the nurses,” said Bonner, who helped Dr. Shah coach the staff during the training session. “They get to learn not only what to do but why we do it. They also get to practice new skills in a safe, relaxed environment dedicated entirely to learning.”
Next up will be a bundle focusing on venous thromboembolism, in which a blood clot forms deep in a vein and then moves to the lungs.
For more information about the national effort to reduce maternal mortality, visit the Council on Patient Safety in Women’s Health Care at www.safehealthcareforeverywoman.org. For more information about St. Mary’s Family Birth Center, visit www.stmarysathens.org.
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World’s Smallest Pacemaker Debuts at Southeast Georgia Health System 7:26 pmOn December 6, 2019, Southeast Georgia Health System became the only hospital between Savannah and Jacksonville to offer heart patients the world’s smallest pacemaker. Assisted by the Health System’s Heart Catheter team, cardiologist Mark T. Watkins, M.D., FACC, successfully implanted the new device in two patients. The minimally invasive procedures each took less than 20 minutes.
Both patients suffer from bradycardia, a condition causing low or irregular heart rhythms. Bradycardia can create dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath or fainting spells, especially during physical activity. The pacemaker’s electrical impulses or “pacing therapy” relieves these symptoms by restoring the heart’s normal rhythm.
The new pacemaker, known as the Micra® Transcatheter Pacing System (PTS) is unique for several reasons. About the size of a large vitamin, it is one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker. Weighing little more than a penny, the Micra does not require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical “pocket” under the skin to deliver electrical impulses. The device automatically adjusts pacing therapy based on each patient’s activity levels.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Micra pacemaker in 2016. It is also approved for Medicare reimbursement.
Watkins and cardiologist Mitchell T. Jones, M.D., Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick Campus medical staff members, received specialized training in device implantation and use.
“The Micra pacemaker is a milestone for our heart patients who now have access to this technology close to home. I’m pleased that we can improve heart function and quality of life for bradycardia patients in a way that’s unobtrusive and offers lower risk than what was available with a traditional pacemaker,” says Watkins.
According to Lance Simpson, a senior clinical specialist with Medtronic, Micra’s manufacturer, this is currently the only leadless pacemaker available. Simpson feels the technology offers important advantages over regular pacemakers. “First, the patients have no visible or physical reminders of the pacemaker. More importantly, the implant success rate with Micra is nearly 100 percent. And patients implanted with this device experience 63 percent fewer complications than they would with a traditional pacemaker.”
The tiny device is implanted into the patient’s heart through a catheter inserted into the femoral vein. “There are fewer potential complications with this device because it does not use lead wires,” Watkins says, adding, “It is a permanent pacemaker, but should it need removal or replacement, it can be permanently shut down and a new device implanted without any risk of electrical interference.”
Patients implanted with the Micra may safely undergo full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and TSA airport screenings.
From his perspective as a cardiologist, Watkins is especially enthusiastic about the device’s ability to track heart health. “The device sends data to the Medtronic CareLink Network, which allows me to follow the patient’s condition via remote monitoring. Patients only need a ‘device check’ once a year in my office.”
To schedule a consultation with Watkins, call 912-264-0760. To schedule a consultation with Jones, call 912-264-1520.
About Southeast Georgia Health System
Southeast Georgia Health System is a not-for-profit health system comprised of two acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities, three immediate care centers, five family medicine centers and numerous employed physician practices. The Health System has multiple outpatient specialty care centers, including the only CyberKnife® M6 with MLC technology program in Georgia, and a Cancer Care Center accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. For more information, call 855-ASK-SGHS (855-275-7447) or visit sghs.org.
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Surgeon Uses Innovative Technique to Repair Premature Infant’s GI Tract 6:39 pmMariha Spencer of Warner Robins, Ga. was approximately six months pregnant with her first child, Amillia, when she learned her daughter had a rare congenital defect, known as esophageal atresia, which is characterized by an improper or absent connection between the esophagus and stomach that makes feeding impossible. The abnormality makes it impossible for the affected child to eat, and often requires a series of corrective surgeries to be performed soon after the birth of the child.
Trusting Amillia’s care to the physicians and staff at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health (BKO), Spencer had no idea her daughter would become one of just 26 infants globally, and the first in Georgia, to undergo an innovative new procedure designed to repair the abnormality.
“With esophageal atresia, the esophagus doesn’t develop or connect to the stomach correctly. The baby ends up having an upper pouch that connects to the mouth, and a lower pouch that connects to the stomach and possibly the airway, with nothing in between. This makes it impossible for the baby to eat. Amillia’s case was especially rare, because there was a connection from the upper pouch to her airway, so if she ate, food would go straight into her lungs,” said Josh Glenn, MD, pediatric surgeon with BKO.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), esophageal atresia affects approximately 1 in 4,100 infants in the U.S. Baby Amillia’s rare form of this rare condition required quick intervention and innovation.
“The distance between the two pouches was too great to pull the two ends together. Normally, we would take a piece of the large intestine to connect the two. This method comes with a lot of complications and risk,” said Dr. Glenn. “Amillia was a very complicated case because of the added challenge of separating the esophagus and airway, so we chose to try a recently developed, minimally invasive procedure that we thought would work well for her.”
The new approach, which uses magnets to close the gap between the two pouches for the treatment of esophageal atresia, received a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018 and was reviewed through the Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) pathway. Dr. Glenn and his team worked with Navicent Health’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) to gain access through a humanitarian exemption and received permission to perform this rare procedure at BKO.
With a feeding tube already in place in her stomach from a previous procedure, the repair of Amillia’s esophagus required separate, staged procedures. First, Dr. Glenn and his team separated the upper pouch of Amillia’s esophagus from her trachea. Once the incision healed, Dr. Glenn and his team then used the Flourish Esophageal Atresia Device from Cook Medical to place two special magnets in the upper and lower pouches of her esophagus.
The magnets pulled together inside Amillia’s tiny body closed a gap of approximately four centimeters, connecting the two ends of her esophagus to make it whole. Once both ends of the esophagus were connected, the magnets were removed.
“We were all for it, and we were excited that it was not very invasive. They inserted the magnets, and after two weeks, they pulled them out. Everything grew back together. It was an amazing feeling, and we were so grateful that we could stay in Macon, right here so close to home,” said Mariha Spencer, baby Amillia’s mother.
In an interview with Macon CBS affiliate WMAZ-TV, Amillia’s father Austin Spencer said, “It’s so simple. It’s truly awesome, just using magnets.”
Now, at six months of age, Amillia is doing well and has been discharged from BKO’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She is home with her family learning how to eat on her own, and she continues to visit BKO on an outpatient basis as teams work to strengthen and shape her esophagus.
“The surgical team at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health is on the forefront of innovative care, providing the highest level of treatment for families. We applaud Dr. Glenn and our surgical team for their quick thinking, and for the extra steps to receive a humanitarian exemption from the FDA, to provide this infant the right care, at the right time, and in the right place – close to home,” said Tom Oliver, MD, Chief Clinical Officer for Navicent Health.
Serving Georgia families since 1987, BKO opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Macon on February 25, 2019. The new hospital includes four pediatric operating rooms, designed specifically for patients with smaller bodies, and a 66-bed Level III NNICU that provides care for families from across the state. For more information on BKO, please visit www.childrenshospitalmacon.org.
In the attached photo: Josh Glenn, MD, holds Amillia Spencer at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health in Macon, Ga.
About Navicent Health
Navicent Health, the leading provider of healthcare in central and south Georgia, is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Providing more than 1,000 beds and offering care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region, Navicent Health provides care for healthcare consumers’ through an academic medical center; community, pediatric and rehabilitation hospitals; urgent care centers; physician practices; diagnostic centers; home health; hospice and palliative care; and a life plan community. Navicent Health is dedicated enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally-recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. For more information, please visitwww.navicenthealth.org.
About Cook Medical
Since 1963, Cook Medical has worked closely with physicians to develop technologies that eliminate the need for open surgery. Today we are combining medical devices, biologic materials and cellular therapies to help the world’s healthcare systems deliver better outcomes more efficiently. We have always remained family owned so that we have the freedom to focus on what we care about: our patients, our employees, and our communities. Find out more at cookmedical.com, and for the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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Hamilton’s Peeples Cancer Institute open, planning community open house 8:48 pmHamilton Medical Center’s Peeples Cancer Institute began welcoming patients Jan. 6. A community open house is planned for Saturday, Feb. 1 from 1 to 3 p.m.
With an entrance on Memorial Drive, off Thornton Avenue, the 64,000 square-foot facility, estimated at $46.5 million, houses outpatient cancer diagnostic and treatment services in one location. The team of medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons and clinical support staff work collaboratively in shared spaces to provide state-of-the-art care in a healing, nurturing environment.
“Every aspect of Peeples Cancer Institute is focused on the needs of our patients and families so that we provide an outstanding patient experience and the best clinical outcomes,” said Jeff Myers, president and CEO of Hamilton Health Care System. “Our goal is to foster collaboration, communication and education among physicians and our medical teams to advance and enhance our care for patients. They are our number one priority.”
The design and development of the facility incorporated direct feedback from focus groups including cancer survivors treated at Hamilton, cancer survivors treated elsewhere, local caregivers and community volunteers.
Patient navigators assist newly diagnosed patients to obtain the resources they need, having their questions answered, and receiving necessary emotional support along their journey, from diagnosis to survivorship.
In addition to updated design features, Peeples Cancer Institute showcases the talents of local and regional artists, with several cancer survivors represented. The Whitfield Healthcare Foundation and Hamilton Health Care System have partnered locally with the Creative Arts Guild to develop a healing arts program, with visual arts being the initial phase of the program.
“We are embracing the arts in healthcare to enhance the health and well-being of patients,” said Jane Snipes, Whitfield Healthcare Foundation executive director. “The latest research is finally backing up what we have known all along regarding the therapeutic benefits of the arts. Through a strategic partnership, we can create a stronger, healthier, more vibrant community for all of us.”
Radiation oncology services in the Institute are being provided by Arif Ali, MD, and Nick Galanopoulus, MD, with Northwest Georgia Radiation Oncology. Lisa Duhaime, MD, and Freda Hoffman, APRN, are providing medical oncology services.
Local philanthropists Shelby and Willena Peeples have provided a legacy gift toward the development of the cancer institute and furthered Hamilton’s vision for transformational care.
“We are indebted to the Peeples for their commitment to this project, not only financially, but as they advocate and provide leadership and inspiration for our community,” said Snipes. “Like the Peeples, our Foundation is committed to supporting what our patients and families need. The care provided in Peeples Cancer Institute will impact thousands of lives in northwest Georgia. We will continue with our fundraising efforts to develop innovative programs and services, and we encourage individuals and businesses to join our efforts.”
Hamilton’s cancer program is accredited by the Commission on Cancer (COC), a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care.
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Alliance Members named to Georgia Trend’s 100 Most Influential Georgians of 2019 4:08 pm
“There are no secrets to success,” said former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. “It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.”
His description could apply to the individuals included in Georgia Trend’s 22nd annual listing of the 100 Most Influential Georgians. It’s a remarkable assemblage of people who prepare, work hard and have contributed to making life better for Georgians.
In this year’s list, you’ll find CEOs, politicians, college presidents and economic development leaders, among others, who have challenged, inspired and spearheaded efforts to bring about positive change in virtually every corner of the Peach State. Some are very public figures, while others work quietly behind the scenes. Many have helmed private businesses and helped shape industries, while some are leaders of government, healthcare and nonprofit organizations. All are tireless and passionate in pursuit of their vision for a better Georgia.
Selecting the most influential leaders is a daunting task and one that involves much discussion, mulling and refinement by the Georgia Trend staff. Our initial list typically contains many more than 100 names, and there are always last minute changes as a result of retirements, power shifts and late-in-the-year hirings. However, we believe this year’s final group represents the best qualities of leadership, power, character and influence the state has to offer.
Along with the most influential, we’ve included a list of Notable Georgians on page 52. These are individuals who’ve also made a significant impact on residents’ lives.
Profiles of the 100 Most Influential Georgians were written by Anna Bentley, Amy Bonesteel, Katie Gantt, Karen Kirkpatrick, Brian Lee, Michele Cohen Marill, Patty Rasmussen, K.K. Snyder, Adina Solomon and Randy Southerland. – The Editors
President & CEO
Northeast Georgia Health System
Gainesville
Under Burrell’s leadership, NGHS has expanded across North Georgia. Last year, it entered an agreement to take over Habersham Medical Center. The facility would join locations in Gainesville, Braselton and Barrow and Lumpkin counties. The system’s Northeast Georgia Medical Center is part of a group of five cancer programs that received $11 million to improve cancer care. – R. Southerlan
President & CEO
Piedmont Healthcare
Atlanta
In Brown’s six years leading the 11-hospital Piedmont Healthcare, it has become one of the largest systems in Georgia, serving more than 2 million patients each year, with 2,300 physicians and 23,000 employees. In the last three years, the system has reduced hospital-acquired infections by 69 percent, resulting in A safety ratings for six of its hospitals. – A. Solomon
CEO
Grady Health System
Atlanta
Since 2011, Haupert has set Grady Health System on an innovative and award-winning course. Grady was the first hospital in Georgia to introduce BrainScope One, which can diagnose possible brain bleeds, and the system helped established the state’s first mobile stroke unit. GHS also earned the 2019 CHIME HealthCare’s Most Wired recognition and in 2018 opened an Albany headquarters for its South Georgia EMS fleet. – B. Le
President & CEO
Northside Hospital
Atlanta
Quattrocchi has held finance roles with Atlanta-based Northside Hospital healthcare system for more than 30 years, becoming its president and CEO in 2004. Since then, he’s been named a top CEO by Forbes and Glassdoor, and he’s led Northside through continual expansion – the latest, in Gwinnett County, was completed last year. – A. Bentley
President & CEO
WellStar Health System
Kennesaw
Under Saunders’ leadership, WellStar now includes 11 hospitals and is consistently recognized as one of the best companies to work for in the nation. It made Working Mother magazine’s 2019 100 Best Companies, among other honors. It’s flagship Kennestone Hospital is building a new $126-million emergency department that should open later this year. – R. Southerlan
President & CEO
Navicent Health
Macon
Saunders continues to steer Navicent Health in Central Georgia, the hospital system that now operates as a hub of Atrium Health, another not-for-profit health system out of North Carolina. In 2019, Navicent opened the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital to address the growing demand in the region for children’s care. – K. Kirkpatrick
SGMC Hosts Dementia Education Seminar 6:33 pm
Joel L. Morgan, MD, director of the SGMC DSHC, will share information on dementia, a general term used to describe a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.
While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia: memory, communication and language, ability to focus and pay attention, reasoning and judgment and visual perception, according to organizers.
People with dementia may have problems with short-term memory, keeping track of a purse or wallet, paying bills, planning and preparing meals, remembering appointments or traveling out of the neighborhood.
Seating is limited and dinner is provided. Registration is required by visiting sgmc.org or calling 229-433-4022.
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